Dmv Clinic Auto Repair

I find that the DMV Clinic is always honest about the condition of my car when I bring it in for a repair and they are always close to their estimate, sometimes even under when I go in to pay. They may suggest additional repairs to consider next time but dont pressure you to do something you cant afford to do right then. That's probably because I have an old car with high miles and it always needs something! I always get the sense that they care a lot about my safety in the vehicle and so if they tell me about other issues they noticed while working on my car, it's because of the philosophy that the longer you drive your car around with issues, the worse the issues become, the more it jeapordizes your safety, the more expensive the consequences... people sometimes want a mechanic to just ""fix"" the problem the owner diagnosed themself- and it might satisfy some mechanics to operate that way, but the guys at the DMV Clinic take a little more personal approach to being your mechanic. They are a great shop; timely, honest and dependable. I highly recommend this shop if you are looking for a 'lifer' ... rather than a cheep quick fix! Pros: Service, location, prices more

!st Time Review for me: The DMV Clinic charged us $250 for a diagnosis, and they could not even find the problem. They didn't give me a copy of their estimate, and since they had awards out the yin yang, I assumed I could trust them -- WRONG. What I remember signing was an estimate of $125 max -- for fixing the problem. Then late in the day without calling us -- I had to call them, they said it would be $250 and no repairs had been made. They wanted another $200 to replace a radiator hose -- not even the problem for which I took the car in to them.\r \r This clinic thinks they are a medical clinic and they charge similar prices. They even used a stethoscope to listen to my engine. Only a medical clinic can get away with charging big bucks for a non diagnosis. However, a medical clinic has more reason to justify that since they have insurance premiums of $150,000/yr and up to cover their practice. Plus, when a body dies, that's it. When a car dies, there's always the possibility of getting another one. So even though auto mechanics may be almost as complicated as the mechanics of a human body, the risks don't even compare -- I mean at least they don't compare for those with morals and ethics.\r \r The DMV Clinic need to be upfront about charging $125/hr for diagnosis, whether or not they find a problem. They also need to be upfront about letting the customer know they will take their sweet time to look at every detail of the car, whether or not it is relevant to the problem, during this costly diagnosis. more